ODP Regionals - SC Soccer

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My daughter did ODP for a few years and at her young age came to the same conclusion..She played and was still unhappy with the program-the best thing she got out of it was friendships with some of the girls in state.They need better quality coaching and a more structured schedule to truly compete with Georgia,North Carolina and Tennessee. If you look at the cost involved it doesn't pay to do it in our opinion.

Pretty much had the same experience and agree. The only thing is I feel SC is "competing" with most states now as was witnessed in the regions this summer. However; I personally think that has more to do with other states putting more teams into the USSF Academy program thus less quality players playing odp than with SC getting stronger. There is no denying older age groups on the boys side took a hit because of South Carolina United. Quite frankly during the last year of our odp experience I can't say the training sessions were much different than any other average club ball training session. Some (hint - those with kids not playing USSF Academy) will tell you odp is as good a program as it ever was. Others (hint - those with kids playing USSF Academy and a lot of casual observers) will tell you the odp pool has been diluted by the Academy and thus not the program it once was. You pick. As far as being "seen" - your chances these days seem less because of the Academy on the boys side. As far as resume builder - the college coaches are on to what is going on and certainly not looking as much at odp kids as they once did. One last thing about odp that is a certainty - your experience is very much contigent on the coach you happen to be assigned - but isn't that the same with any sport?

I would like to know what the costs for ODP are compared to the normal club soccer? We are just starting out in ODP so I do not know them but I do know what our family has paid over the last 4 seasons playing club soccer. I am sure that some of the costs are a little different but I would bet that I am not off by much as I have spent more than that considering we have also done optional spring break, winter break, summer camp etc. etc. I also have a personal opinion that I think some of the "soccer" coaches at some of the clubs don't encourage ODP as it competes with thier optional training that they pretty much pocket the money 100% with. A lot of parents are really naive and believe whatever their DOC or coach tells them. I guess I still have to pinch myself sometimes as I am stroking check after check towards soccer compared to the $20 it used to cost to play playground football and baseball where we had dads volunteer to coach for free. A bunch of us were pretty good and went on to play in college and we never had "professionals" coaching us. I guess times are just different and maybe when our kids have kids the cycle will change and they will be volunteering to coach soccer and paying for football & baseball.

Have all 2010 ODP team selections been sent out?

ODP Cost (girls side):
Tryout fee $85
Sub Regionals $225*
Region 3 Camp ~ $650*

Includes transportation, food, hotel for the player. Additional cost if parents decide to go.

Aside from that, the gas to and from practice once a month or so.

Is it worth it? Depends on what your child/you are looking for.

94 Girls listed are out.

Thanks Soccer4fun for the information. That clears it for me, looks like ODP costs a lot less than traveling with your club team unless you decide to travel to watch. I understand that they do not want the kids interacting/staying etc with parents during ODP training/events.
Thanks again & good luck on your season & your ODP training

We heard selections would be posted on Friday 1/22.

The 94 Girls received an email last night with the team and alternates selections. Probably won't make the website until Friday. I don't know about any other teams.

Mike,

Another way to look at it is the cost per game and practice:

Using the numbers posted:

ODP:
Games: Sub-regional (3)
Region 3 Camp (5?)
Practices: 5 which is very high from what I've heard
Cost each: $760/13 = $58

Club:
Games: Season (19 if two seasons, one in PL which I assume is what you are talking about given the gas cost you quote)
Tournaments (9 minimum (3 events) using your cost)
State Cup (1 minimum)
Practices (at least 96 over spring and fall)
Cost each: $4175/125 = $33

If you look at a top team that many times move out of group/1st round of tournaments and state cup, you have to add perhaps another 6 games for a few semis and finals. Than moves the number down more.

Of course, to really compare apples-to-apples, you need to either factor in going to watch ODP or skipping a few tournaments, which widens the gap further.

All that being said, the cost is only part of the equation. As has been pointed out, it depends on the player and their goals as to whether it makes sense.

Rumor has it that there are more alternates than players. I don't understand why they do this?

The list of players(14) was very conservative in comparison to the alternate list(12). I think they usually take 18 players total.

The 94 girls team has 12 team members and 16 alternates! I don't believe anyone was "cut" after the greenville training weekend. I think only 11 girls of the 18 from last years team that went to regional camp tried out this year, and only 7 of the 11 are listed on the team.

No I didn't forget the $400 for Regionals. I left that out because that is not a Normal cost for ODP. Don't know about the other team(s), but our coach was at Sub-Regionals and Regionals.

What ODP coach wasn't at sub-regionals or regionals?

Where did you see a team listing of the players? Nothing is posted on the website...

We received an email on Tuesday night announcing our team (94 Girls)

Why are there so many alternates this year?

My guess is the Coach wants to see who is truly committed and is willing to work for the position. I could be way off base though!

What makes one think that the kids already selected would be more committed/dedicated than any of the alternates? Would it not be better to still have a pool of the 25 to 30 kids and select the team based on several training sessions over the next 2 months. I bet the kids already selected feel they really don't have to attend these training sessions. I guess my feeling is that you pick the WHOLE team now or you pick the Whole team later. Part of the team now(12) and 17 alternates is absurd.

EF why so negative. It is my understanding that these girls will be training together once or twice a month until camp.

Not negative just reality! My 94 (boy) has throughly enjoyed his ODP experiences and made a lot of good friends over the past few years!

YES, We are told they will train together every month. Reality is that it just does not happen in most cases! Why? who knows I think/hope it would/will change if SCYSA hires a full time DOC. SCYSA acknowledges openly that ODP training is insufficient (look on the scysa home page under Presidents report from the January 9, 2010)

I guess perception is reality but I think the 94 boys team has had a generous amount of training in preparation for each event. Sam has brought the boys together the weekend before regionals and tried to work in a weekend before they went off to Louisiana where they stayed on campus overnight and trained in the morning and afternoon. No Sam didn't attend sub-regionals and the champioship event this year but the experience was not compromised because of it. My opinion.

Agree with Mom. Coaches Sam and Neil had some very good training sessions before AL and LA. They did an outstanding job considering the competition they went up against. If you could have watched the first half of the sub-regional game against NC, you would have seen the rewards of the players and coaches efforts.

There should be more training than one or two sessions in a six month perion leading up to a regional championship. Does your club team only practice twice in the six months before state cup? Regional championships are a much higher level of play than state cup and should be treated accordingly.

This is second hand info as I have no dog in the fight, but I was told by a 94G parent that they had no training as a team prior to New Orleans. However in Greenville most of the girls that were going to NO were placed on a team together for that weekend I was told. Not enough for this type of event.

My son thinks Sam is great. He says the 94 girls talked about getting no training. They just show up and play. He also said In NO, that there were several girls pursuing the boys. Where are you Mary Bynum? One girls was reprimanded but others were not. He said that those girls quote were " all over them". I sent my son for soccer. I hope this never happens again. I thought they had to follow a code of conduct.My son said other than he felt good about the experience. I believe on the boys side the whole soccer package is being addressed. The girls ......

ODP should have a minimum number of hours or sessions. If certain coaches want to exceed it because they are intense and wanting to do their best as coaches.....God bless them.

I think any age group that Sam Okpodu has gets their money's worth. I know from friends what he did with the 94 boys and what he did with the 92 boys before that...and it was exceptional. But....he does WAY more than most age groups. Some age groups do next to nothing.

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My son thinks Sam is great. He says the 94 girls talked about getting no training. They just show up and play. He also said In NO, that there were several girls pursuing the boys. Where are you Mary Bynum? One girls was reprimanded but others were not. He said that those girls quote were " all over them". I sent my son for soccer. I hope this never happens again. I thought they had to follow a code of conduct.My son said other than he felt good about the experience. I believe on the boys side the whole soccer package is being addressed. The girls ......

I showed this to my daughter who was on the trip and she laughed at this comment. I am quite sure that there was some flirting going on from both the girls AND boys given the 12 hour bus ride to and from New Orleans. Were they there for soccer yes. Did having the opposite sex on the trip effect their games...no.

Aggressive flirting on the message boards..Is there any place we won't go?

I find it rediculous that the SC ODP administrator allowed the boys and girls team to travel on the same bus to New Orleans, maybe explains the girls results.

Of course not knowing my son or I you might draw a conclusion of that sort. No it WAS not just a smile and a wave. If the chaperones had to speak to one of the girls, I think it was a little more than that. Yes my son likes girls. He just thought it was a little much.

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I find it rediculous that the SC ODP administrator allowed the boys and girls team to travel on the same bus to New Orleans, maybe explains the girls results.

I wouldn't have done it......but they probably figured that the best way to get the kids there was via bus and 2 half full busses for 2 teams didn't make a lot of sense.

I was a little surprised to learn recently that HS boys and girls bball teams travel together. Back in the day....the
preliminary game was JV, just like in soccer today. Now I guess the girls and boys varsity play at the same venue and travel together.

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I find it rediculous that the SC ODP administrator allowed the boys and girls team to travel on the same bus to New Orleans, maybe explains the girls results.

The girls results had nothing to do with riding the bus with the boys. The girls results had to do with the fact thatg they were totally unprepared for the event. To think otherwise is stupid. To charter two different buses going to the same location would make it more expensive than it already was.

Soccer4fun
The name says it all. Hop on the bus with the boys go have fun and blame the results on the training/coaching, nice.

That would be in your opinion. as alot of things stated on this board. Did it save money? Yes! When my older daughter played, there never would have been any questions. The boys would have been separate from the girls. If any infractions occurred,those involved would have been sent home immediately.

No, not an opinion, it's crazy and irresponsible to allow HS aged athletes of the opposite sex to travel togeather on a long bus trip period.

I am sorry. My reply was directed at Soccer4fun. I agree with you.

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Soccer4fun
The name says it all. Hop on the bus with the boys go have fun and blame the results on the training/coaching, nice.

Getoverit.... do you even have a kid on one of these two teams? Were you there?

My avatar maybe "soccer4fun" but I can assure you that would not be the name my daughter would have picked. She as well as every other girl on that team took the trip and all the games seriously. You win as a team and you lose as a team. The girls were not prepared and outplayed. PERIOD. Lack of training...yes. Lack of committment...no.

Was the inappropiate behavior reported to the ODP admistrator for evaluation?

I was there though. I watched both the boys and the girls play. Oh yes, there was committment and passion from both teams. Lack of coaching for one, I am leaving my opinion to myself.

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That would be in your opinion. as alot of things stated on this board. Did it save money? Yes! When my older daughter played, there never would have been any questions. The boys would have been separate from the girls. If any infractions occurred,those involved would have been sent home immediately.

I find it funny that all the "blame" is being put on the girls. I am sure the boys were totally innocent and only had soccer on their minds 100% of the time. Bottomline, both teams were there for a purpose and having a team of the opposite sex riding the bus did not take away from this. Did they interact while there were not on the soccer fields... sure. Did their soccer suffer because of this - no.

4fun
Lack of committment....no
with all that committment how many times did your daughter and her teammates get togeather and train as a team on there own?

I do not have any idea. I do know that a single girl was spoken to and watched. Others were involved but to what degree I can not tell you. A chaperones daughter, maybe.

Aside from Sub-regionals. None and tha tis my point. Could my daughter have tried to organize a practice on her own...maybe, but I am not sure how many kids would have shown up. Does that mean she is not committed to soccer or her team, absoultely not.

Who ever said the incident occurred while on the bus?

My son said that they were not even allowed to talk to the girls on the bus. They were on different parts of the bus with chaperones in between. I for one an happy that they kept the cost down by traveling on one bus.

Soccer4 fun were you there also?

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Soccer4 fun were you there also?

Yes I was

Were you in the same hotel?

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Were you in the same hotel?

Nope

Then your facts are as mine, from our children's point of view. Yes,I was there.

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Then your facts are as mine, from our children's point of view. Yes,I was there.

I agree. My point still remains that the kids went to New Orleans for soccer and while there were on their fields their minds were on soccer. While they were elsewhere, did they interact, yes. Girls talked and flirted with the boys and the boys talked and flirted with the girls. They are 15 year olds- this is what most of them do. Were long lasting friendships made, yes. Did they have a great time, yes. Did they win, no (boys did win one game). Were they prepared for the trip? The girls were not. End of story.

Thanks for your imput,goalie parent! For the amount of money spent, our state still struggles.

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Thanks for your imput,goalie parent! For the amount of money spent, our state still struggles.

You seem to know who I am, so why don't you even the playing field and identify yourself?

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I was there though. I watched both the boys and the girls play. Oh yes, there was committment and passion from both teams. Lack of coaching for one, I am leaving my opinion to myself.

I don' think anyone has said lack of coaching. Lack of training and preparation is very different than lack of coaching.

To insinuate that the results were because of being on a bus with the opposite sex for 12 hours is silly.

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4fun
Lack of committment....no
with all that committment how many times did your daughter and her teammates get togeather and train as a team on there own?

Come on??? Are you serious???

JAK
Very serious, in Texas the club/ODP girls would get togeather and train without coach at least 3-4 times a season. not everyone was always there but it was funny to she the better players show to all training sessions.

I think that's great. Seriously. It shows the level of importance ODP has reached in Texas. But I have to ask how many times were there scheduled practices as well? More than none?

Nothing about SCODP has instilled a level of importance to the players. When there isn't a single practice in 6+ months leading up to the regional event, do you think that creates a sense of importance? The players won't take it any more seriously than the coaches and people who run SCODP, so until they show it is important, I don't think you can expect the players to do the same. It's really a symptom of poor leadership, not lack of commitment by the players.

So I'm also serious when I go back to my original question of "are you serious???". To insinuate that not practicing on your own shows a lack of commitment is insulting to the players and is letting the leaders off the hook.

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Then your facts are as mine, from our children's point of view. Yes,I was there.

So this entire conversation is based on comments from 15 year old kids? Unfortunately, I think we're now acting like the high school kids by passing it along and having a conversation about it.

I heard from Tommy that Billy likes Suzie

Jak
In my experiences your average soccer kid has more integrity than certain soccer parents I have witnessed over the years.
I have now gone back and read some of the threads on the SC ODP program, parents start demanding changes or pull your children out of the system until widespread changes are made. Can't seem to find the name of SC DOC for the program, Are you serious? what a total joke.

Jak
Yes more than none.
Did anyone think to make a call and inquire about the training schedule? None seems like a couple to few.

No idea. Someone on the team would have to anwer that.

But it is a good point. As parents, we should know and reinforce the importance too.

My daughter is on the 94 team and I e-mailed the SCYSA director of ODP multiple times regarding training and yet none ever occured. I honestly never thought of telling my daughter to try to call a practce on her own and I honestly believe it would have been frowned upon if she had.

JAK, do you have a daughter who plays soccer on the 94 ODP team , now or in the past?

TS
Seems like SC ODP is in very sad shape, very very disappointing. What soccer credentials does the SCYSA director of ODP have?

1. For those of you that say SC ODP is in sad shape speak for your own age group. The 96 girls are in good shape.
2. If and i say "IF" there were any girls mauling any boys on the bus do not blame Mary Bynum. Blame the girls parents for not raising them better.
3. I know it is a little early for Mardi Gras, but if and again i say "IF" there were any boys on the bus that was that big of a stud then i would like to know how many beads he came home with from that bus ride.

Now after having a little fun with this i just have this to say,
Maybe there was some flirting going on and it probably scared the teenage boys but i do not think that is why anyone had a bad showing.It seems that there wasnt enough practice/training going on if any. Maybe the thread can get back to that part of the discussion not about the ODP GONE WILD BUS.

One question for the 94 parents.State cup ended Decemeber the 12th or so.That left about 4 weekends for the 94's to train. You have the Disney showcase for some players and others off to visit relatives and so on for the Holidays. When was there going to be a time to train as a team and have everyone or anyone at a training session.

Your ODP experience is going to based on who is your coach and how much of an effort is put forth by the coach and players..That's the bottom line..
Schedule a practice and if six show up..more training for the six that made it..It's still a plus

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One question for the 94 parents.State cup ended Decemeber the 12th or so.That left about 4 weekends for the 94's to train. You have the Disney showcase for some players and others off to visit relatives and so on for the Holidays. When was there going to be a time to train as a team and have everyone or anyone at a training session.

Hard Headed- The 94 Boys had several trainings sessions scheduled leading up to the championship but they had a responsibility to their club teams to get through state cup. In my opinion the training was the best it could be taking this into consideration. The boys also had ODP tryouts one weekend and you are correct Disney Showcase affected at least 6 players on the ODP team. It was a delicate balancing act.

94 Girls team and alternates have training session on 1/31/10. Is this another tryout? The numbers 12 team 16 alternates makes no sense. Where as the 93 Girls team accepted all 23 players to the team, no alternates! Any ideas?

If you are an alternate every training session is a tryout. If you are named to the team then your tryouts are over. Having 16 alternates is absurd, just as naming 23 to a team is. With recent poor player retention on the girls side it looks like SCYS ODP is trying to keep as many kids around the program for as long as possible. I think this approach will backfire. It doesn't seem to be much of an honor to be on a team that keeps everyone.

I agree that this approach may backfire. They need to pick their team and the appropriate number of alternates and let the remainder move on.

What was the point to tryouts and the weekend in Greenville?
Is anyone surprised by this?
Have we not been around long enough to expect something less than?
The last year of ODP and you have names that have never participated before..Why? Wake up and move on..It's okay to go without soocer for a couple of months or join a winter league..

15 players, 2 alternates is plenty. Here's the reason they didn't cut anybody on the 93's.

23 players X $960 = $22080

15 players X $960 = $14400

I don't understand what there is to complain about with 12 selected to a team and 16 alternates. I'm assuming they will continue to have training sessions until 6 more from the alternates pool are selected to the team? So even if you are not one of the 6 eventually selected to fill out the team, you at least, hopefully, have gotten some additional good, competitive training, that you wouldn't have otherwise gotten, at no additional cost, correct? Also gives the coaches a better chance to evaluate and make the best selections possible. What is so bad about that?

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15 players, 2 alternates is plenty. Here's the reason they didn't cut anybody on the 93's.

23 players X $960 = $22080

15 players X $960 = $14400

ODP is not a money maker for SCYSA!

If you look at the cost versus what your actually paying for it is VERY reasonable. for example the sub regionals 235.00 this year but that cost included transportation to and from, hotel room (2 nights) and 90% of the food cost. How much of the 235 could possibly be left over?

Same with regionals in NOLA 400.00. again that included transportation, hotel room for 3 nights, and 90% of the food for 4 days.

VERY reasonable! IMO

Cost -
Room:3-4 girls to a room ( approx.$65/night) 2nights per girl(approx $45)
Meals:Hotel breakfast(free), Boxed lunch($5), Buffet dinner($10)

Total Cost per player- $60
$235
- 60
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$175 profit per player

Don't forget there was a bus and driver that had to be paid for the weekend, and his lodging, I assume. I don't think
there was any profit, and if so it wasn't much. I would be
curious to know why you guys are so worried about it anyway.
If the parents are willing to pay for this, and the players
are wanting to participate, I believe that is enough. My daughter went on this trip, and it was a good experience for
her, as it was for probably ALL of the girls AND boys involved. Plus, If any of you have ever watched a soccer game, you know that the score is not always indicitive of how the game actually went. It would be nice if you would move on to something else.....

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Cost -
Room:3-4 girls to a room ( approx.$65/night) 2nights per girl(approx $45)
Meals:Hotel breakfast(free), Boxed lunch($5), Buffet dinner($10)

Total Cost per player- $60
$235
- 60
____
$175 profit per player

You forget buses & bus drivers for the weekend (including their rooms/meals), coaches' rooms/meals (4-5 per team), chaperones' rooms/meals (3-5 per team), extra water (always plenty of bottled water available in the hotel), etc.

Ok....add approx.$500-600 for all that and there still is profit. Enough said !!

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Ok....add approx.$500-600 for all that and there still is profit. Enough said !!

I don't know the going rate to rent a bus and driver for a day. But I'm pretty certain that 500-600 would not even come close to renting 2 buses and 2 drivers for 3 days. 500-600 MIGHT cover one bus for one day (but I doubt it.)

Bottom line ODP is VERY reasonably priced

It is the organization as a whole (in SC) that needs to be overhauled! I think the administrators have done a good job with the resources at their disposal. However, SCYSA needs to step back and look at the process and start thinking "outside the box" when and if they ever re-tool the process. (IMO)

Enough already...if your kid wants to do ODP then the cost isn't an issue. If they don't then leave well enough alone...12 pages of arguing about the pros and cons of ODP is a little tiring. Nothing has changed in ODP and nothing will probably change in ODP. Can we move on to something else please?

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Nothing has changed in ODP and nothing will probably change in ODP. Can we move on to something else please?

I say something has changed in ODP. The Academy option has become a real option and is taking many of the best players away from ODP throughout the country. So it's not just a SC problem.

Can anyone post 2010 ODP rosters here since SCYS is so slow putting them on their website?

I think it states on the SCYSA website that those would be notified not necessarily to be posted for everyone to begin challenging who made it and why or why not. I think those that needed to be notified already have been.

They have posted it every year except this one...why would they be so concerned about people questioning who they chose???? It's over and done. As usual I'm sure they have more alternates than the actual team,so they can scrimmage each other. Then after they have utilized the kids they didn't choose to their advantage they will finalize the team.It keeps the kids coming back.

They posts the names every year..Just give it some time..I don't remenber anyone questioning who did and who did not make the teams in the past..

Greenacres
The teams are posted on SCYS now

The girls are the strangest ODP lists I have ever seen. Only the 94's and 96's actually picked a team and the remaining players in those age groups were kept in a "player pool" instead of the normal "alternates" Was anyone actually cut after two tryouts and over $300? Wow.
The boys list is more normal with the exception of the 96's.
I guess if you have the time and money you can at least say you made the state ODP pool.

There were some cuts in the 93s..As far as the player pools..It gives you more to choose from throughout the season or training sessions..The state needs to keep more players interested in ODP..Maybe this is one way of doing that..I have to agree that I have never seen lists like these before..Maybe it's a move in the right direction..We'll just have to wait and see.

The 96 boys took two teams to region camp last year. Given the number of players in the pool, I assume those players are battling for the final spots of two teams again.

If they have the talent, I think taking two teams is a good idea. Especially at the younger ages where some players have developed faster than others. Otherwise, the kids would get discouraged and not come out in the future. Besides, the pool players get some extra training at no additional cost except for the parents driving them to training. Seems like a decent deal.

The two teams of 96 Boys seemed to do ok last year. At subregionals this year, it also looked liked SC could easily field two competitive teams in this age group. Whatever you may think of ODP, if we can field two good teams, why not?

I see on the SCYS website that the 95 and 96 girls are going to a showcase tournament in Alabama. I wonder why the 93 and 94's are left out? You would think college coaches would rather see 9th, 10th and 11th graders instead of 7th and 8th graders.

greenacres: Could it be that it is taking place during the high school season? Does this tourney have brackets for the above mentioned age groups?

I guess high school season could have something to do with the decision and yes there are age groups for the older girls. I am pretty sure the girls would get more exposure from this sort of tournament than a high school match. If ODP wants to be the top level for girls in SC than it needs to treat itself as something special.

It is at the end of March in Decatur, Al. It is put on by Alabama youth soccer assoc. The younger boys teams were supposed to attend also (at least it was posted that way initially), but I believe too many kids had club matches. I guess SCYSA does not want to tick off the clubs so the coaches will still talk up odp to their players?